SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM ❚ WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 ❚ 3B
Kimberly Thoma, an Oregon State Hospital employee and SEIU union official who has concerns about understaffing and safety at the state-run psychiatric hospital.
KELLY JORDAN / STATESMAN JOURNAL
OSH
Continued from Page 3A
Court earlier this year found the state in
contempt of court for not admitting pa­
tients quick enough. Since then, a feder­
al  judge  has  declined  to  issue  a  con­
tempt finding and given the state more
time to work on improvements and end
its backlog of patients waiting to enter
the hospital. 
Part  of  the  hospital's  plan  includes
opening two, eight­bed cottages on the
Junction City campus for patients who
are civilly committed and open another
10  beds  in  Junction  City  for  civil  com­
mitments. 
This will free up more space in Salem
for "aid and assist" patients. The hospi­
tal will convert a civil commitment unit
to treat "and assist" patients.
Flat Water
Continued from Page 1B
er water levels at other times.
Waldo and Other High Lakes
Waldo Lake is not just one of the best
places to paddle in Oregon, it is one of
the  best  places  to  paddle  in  the  world.
The  water  is  indescribably  beautiful
hues of blue and green, you can paddle
as much or as little as you want, you will
never have a close encounter with a jet
ski  or  a  motor  boat,  and  you  can  even
The  hospital  aims  to  complete  that
work in September. 
"This is the right thing to do, both for
the patients already in the hospital and
for those people who are waiting to be
admitted,"  hospital  superintendent
Dolly Matteucci wrote in a June 11 staff
memo. "We understand this change will
be  difficult  for  both  patients  and  staff,
and  these  changes  are  consistent  with
our mission and charge to serve all Ore­
gonians who need hospital­level care."
The  hospital's  plan  also  highlights
the obvious: there are other options, in­
cluding community care for those who
no longer need hospital­level care.
The hospital's goals include develop­
ing  plans  for  putting  another  $7.6  mil­
lion  into  community  restoration  ser­
vices  in  Oregon,  so  patients  who  no
longer need to be in the hospital can go
there  for  care.  Those  plans  are  due  by
Aug. 2. 
At the same time, community mental
health  providers  are  raising  concerns
about the proposed budget for the Ore­
gon Health Authority, which cuts fund­
ing  for  community  mental  health  pro­
grams by $15.4 million.
The  Association  of  Oregon  Commu­
nity Mental Health Programs says that
will  hurt  community­based  services
and  programs  that  help  people  in  the
justice system avoid higher­cost care at
the hospital. 
“Simply adding to one new program
while cutting another will not move us
in  the  right  direction.”  said  Kimberly
Lindsay,  president  of  the  association
and  executive  director  of  Community
Counseling  Solutions,  which  serves
Morrow,  Wheeler,  Grant  and  Gilliam
counties.
Oregon  policymakers  will  be  watch­
ing the issue closely.
The governor's office said given those
concerns  raised  by  community  mental
health providers, the Oregon Health Au­
thority will take steps to ensure they are
not impacted for the next 18 months. 
This will give them time to review ca­
seloads and funding formulas and come
back to the Legislature with recommen­
dations, said Morawski, with the gover­
nor's office.
Hospital  employees  say  ending  the
need for hospital­level care would serve
Oregon well.
But it's unlikely to happen, given the
high need in Oregon.
"It  would  be  great  if  there  was  no
longer a need for my unit and what I do,"
Thoma  said.  "Unfortunately,  that's  not
the case."
Ben Botkin covers Oregon state gov-
ernment. You can reach him at bbot-
kin@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-
6687 or follow him on Twitter @BenBot-
kin1
backcountry camp with your SUP, kay­
ak,  or  canoe.  But  we  are  fortunate  to
have  many  high  lakes  with  similar  ap­
peal.  Timothy  Lake  and  Crescent  Lake
have great beaches. Blue River Lake and
Davis Lake have great solitude. Sparks,
Hosmer, and Wallows lakes all have fan­
tastic views.
movies  and  TV  shows,  marinas  filled
with  luxury  yachts,  shipping  traffic,
grain  terminals,  giant  marine  cranes,
and  even  the  nautical  homeless.  Oh,
and  all  of  Portland’s  many  bridges.  If
you paddle during the Rose Festival, you
can also see dragon boat races and im­
mense Navy ships. This should be done
as a one­way downriver float, from Sell­
wood  Park  to  Cathedral  Park.  Be  pre­
pared to have virtually nowhere to land
on that approximately 10­mile stretch of
busy river.
sive; 15,000 acres of wetlands adjacent
to  Agency  Lake  and  Upper  Klamath
Lake. The Upper Klamath Canoe Trail is
a  maze  of  narrow  waterways  through
the marsh, lined with reeds, bulrushes,
cattails,  and  lily  pads.  The  paddling  is
virtually endless, and the bird­watching
is among the best anywhere. My favor­
ite  resident  is  the  belted  kingfisher,
which perches silently on posts or reeds
before diving head­first into the water to
catch fish and other aquatic prey. Go in
the springtime to see the huge floating
yellow  flowers  of  the  wocus  lily.  Bring
plenty of mosquito repellent.
Willamette River at Portland
This  paddle  is  not  for  the  faint  of
heart,  nor  is  it  for  beginners.  But  it  is,
quite  simply,  really  cool  and  totally
unique.  The  Willamette  River  in  Port­
land is filled with fascinating things, like
an  attack  submarine  that  has  been  in
Upper Klamath Canoe Trail
The  Upper  Klamath  marsh  is  mas­
CLASSIFIEDS
Find a new job or career
Discover
Discover
Disc
Di
scov
sc
over
ov
er your
y your
ourr new
ou
new
ne
w ho
home
home
me
JOBS.STATESMANJOURNAL.COM
Place an ad online 24/7 at StatesmanJournal.com
or call 503-399-6789 • 1-800-556-3975
Turn here for your next vehicle
HOMES &
RENTALS
JOBS
silvertonappeal.com
Auctions, pets, services & stuff
AUTO
STUFF
StatesmanJournal.com/classifieds
in print Wednesday through Sunday
STATESMANJOURNAL.COM/HOMES
WE WISH YOU A HAPPY JULY 4TH!
SERVING THE
EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975
Brokers licensed in Oregon
Michael
ichael Schmid
Schmidt
Ryan Wertz
Marcia
arcia Branstetter
Branstett
Micha
icha Christma
Christman
Becky Craig
Broker
503.873.3545 ext. 326
Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 318
Offi ce Manager
503-873-1425
Broker
873-3545 ext. 313
Meredith Wertz
Chuck White
Christina
istina Williams
Williamson
Mason
ason Branstette
Branstetter
Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 324
Broker
873-3545 ext. 325
Broker
873-3545 ext. 315
Principal Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 303
Kirsten Barnes
Principal Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 314
Broker
873-3545 ext. 322
SILVERTON
NEW-MT. ANGEL
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
NEW-MT. ANGEL
#A2546
GREAT TOWNHOUSE
2 BR, 2 BA 1309 SQFT CALL
BECKY AT EXT. 313
$267,900 (WVMLS#749500)
#A2550
WONDERFUL SUBDIVISION
3 BR, 2.5 BA 2854 SQFT CALL
MEREDITH AT EXT. 324,
RYAN AT EXT. 322
$447,800 (WVMLS#750531)
#A2542
HUGE LOT IN TOWN
4 BR, 2 BA 2158 SQFT CALL
MICHAEL AT EXT. 314
$570,000 (WVMLS#747752)
#A2538
READY TO BUILD
.34 ACRES CALL MEREDITH
AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322
$79,900 (WVMLS#747134)
#A2531
HAS IT ALL
5 BR, 3.5 BA 3449 SQFT 1.59
ACRES CALL MEREDITH AT
EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322
$637,000 (WVMLS#744778)
#A2549
GREAT LOCATION
3 BR, 2.5 BA 2323 SQFT CALL
MEREDITH AT EXT. 324,
RYAN AT EXT. 322
$348,400 (WVMLS#750591)
Brokers licensed in Oregon
WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM | 303 OAK STREET | SILVERTON
Call us today! 503.873.3545 | 1-800-863-3545
FOR RENT
Call Micha
at 503-873-1425
or see them on our website.